Cold Gold
by Winters-Heroine
Summary: Alyssa and Thorin have met before and instantly felt a connection but only years later when they meet at the Battle of the Five Armies can they see what they are for each other. Can Thorin defeat the sickness that binds him to his gold to be with the odd dwarf he met when he was young? Thorin/OC rated M for future chapters


Hello there!

I was having some Thorin feelings lately and this idea for a story. So now I sat down and wrote it! It is probably not gonna be that long unless I have some knew ideas that I like.. Anyway enjoy and leave some reviews! :)

S.

* * *

A grand party, a huge crowd of people and a great amount of alcohol. Everything was loud and bright. The king of Erebor was famous for hosting these lavish events every now and then, to let everyone know he is as rich as the tales say. Everyone who wished to come was invited to see for themselves how great Erebor's halls are.

Alyssa actually doesn't like these event's but she was told she had to come as it was her duty. She really doesn't care about duties, honor and such things but her uncle does and she loves him. Very much. So she put on a smile and told him how excited she was. In reality, she would want nothing more at this moment than to be home with a nice book. She scanned the crowd again from her place near a pillar (hidden from anyone who would dare to socialize with her) and saw nothing but happy faces. People of different races dancing and laughing and some stumbling around because they had a little to much ale.

Now you may think our Alyssa is generally unhappy and bitter but she actually is not. Her sense of fun just involves less people and definitely less noise. She is quiet around most, so they more often than not think she is just one of these shy young things and only few know her true personality. And those few know she is definitely not shy. She stands up for her believes and is just as stubborn as every other dwarf which causes quite some trouble with her uncle.

Now though she got bored. Standing around, watching strangers have the time of their life gets uninteresting so fast. So she started to walk away from the crowd and to explore the mountain. It actually is her first visit to Erebor and she had not found time to walk through it yet.

While she went through the corridors and great halls of Erebor she tried to avoid everyone as best as possible. She just did not feel like explaining herself as to why she would wander around the mountain by herself. And while she did so she had to admit that Erebor truly was beautiful and definitely fit for the king under the mountain. After some time of wandering around she eventually came to the most breathtaking and enormous hall she could ever imagine. She could not believe her eyes because the hall was filled with as much gold and other riches as one could imagine and even more. Alyssa stood at the top of huge stone stairs and had a good view of the enormous amount of gold. She did know the king was not telling lies about his wealth but never had she imagined it to be this much. She was about to leave since the first shock was gone and she really did not care about the gold but then she listened. It was so peacefully quiet in here. She went down the stairs and found a big landing. _ust one moment of silence and then I'm gone_ she thought and sat down, her feet dangling over the edge. Alyssa closed her eyes and let the silence wash over her like waves. She felt truly relaxed and laid down ( her feet still hanging in the air and swinging back and forth a bit).

It might have been a moment or two longer than she intended to stay but she simply could not bring herself to return to the loud crowd of people and she felt so at peace she didn't even hear the heavy footsteps come closer until it was too late.

"Hey you! What are you doing here!? " a loud and frightening deep voice called out. She jumped into a sitting position immediately and clutched a hand over her heart.

" Mahal, you scared me." she said while turning to see whoever caught her. A dwarf, a quite tall one, in lavish clothes. _A lord perhaps?_ she thought.

"I asked you something. What are you doing here in the treasure hall of the king? " he asked again, completely ignoring her near death experience from shock. His face was stone cold and Alyssa thought she would not want to ever have to fight him in combat. But she could not hold her tongue.

" Well, I was enjoying a quiet moment on my own but now that that's ruined... "she slowly stood. " I might as well go somewhere else. " she smiled politely at the dwarf who looked ready to kill her.

" Have care how you speak! " his voice echoed in the big hall. Alyssa couldn't help a little chuckle.

" Or what? You're gonna drown me in all of the gold?" she gestured her head to the mountains of gold behind her. She slowly made her way further down the stairs. The dwarf was too baffled that anyone would dare speak to him like that, to realize she went down the stairs and just followed.

"Do you even know who you are talking to? I could have you beheaded for your lack of respect. " he was truly angry now, besides that little spark of excitement. Usually everyone tried to please him, so this change of events was kind of interesting but he did not show it. Alyssa turned around and shamelessly studied him from top to bottom.

"Well, the way you're dressed and the fact that you think so much of yourself tells me you are at least known but you are too young to actually be 'someone'... So I'm guessing you're the son of someone who is in fact important? " she smirked challenging at him. He did not know if he should be angry with her. She was not entirely wrong.

" I am Thorin II, son of Thrain, son of Thror, future king of Erebor and Durin's folk." Thorin said proudly, his voice echoing from the walls. And then there was silence for a moment. She turned around and looked at his face again. She could not believe she had been rude to the prince of Erebor but there was no way back now and she found her pride quickly.

"Ah, a prince.. " she continued walking. " I felt like I had met this form of ignorance before. "

Thorin was shocked. He had thought she would fall to her knees and beg for forgiveness but she continued with her cocky behavior and he was quickly intrigued by the female. The festivities long forgotten.

"You are not from here, aren't you? I don't think I have seen you before." he said and quickened his pace to catch up with her. She turned her head a bit and smiled at him.

"No, I am not from here. I'm from the Iron Hills and just visiting Erebor for the first time. It is quite beautiful here. " she stopped walking and so did Thorin.

" But it's a shame. " she said while scanning the halls with her eyes.

" What is? " Thorin asked, searching her face. _She is quite the beauty_ he thought. She turned her face towards him.

" Look. " she gestured her head forward. They were now standing right in front of the massive mountains of gold. One step closer and he would in fact stand on top of it. It seems, that he was so captured by the unusual girl, he didn't even realize she was leading them further into the hall.

"All of this gold lies here for nothing. It's only purpose to exist is greed. " she said quietly and looked at him again, her playful smile gone.

" I don't think-" Thorin started but Alyssa quickly shut him up by kneeling down, grabbing a fistful of gold and handing it out to him.

"Here, hold this. " she gave him the coins and a few fell down in the process. "You feel that? " Thorin looked at the coins in his hands and then at her, one eyebrow rose in question. She sighted.

"They're cold, empty. All of these riches lie here everyday without any use. Imagine what one could do with all of this.. No one would have to be hungry or cold. You could help so many dwarves and men too. But yet the greed of the King makes him hoard it, locked away from everyone's sight." her gaze became somewhat melancholic.

"Don't speak like that of my grandfather. It is not as easy to be king as you might think. " Thorin told her, his eyebrows knitted. " The gold is not just greed. It is a sickness that won't leave him. It is eating him alive." Thorin spoke with as much purpose as if he was king already and Alyssa felt bad.

"I didn't mean-"

"Of course you did not. How could you possibly know. " he closed his fist around the gold before throwing it away on the pile. "I should escort you back to the great hall now."

"Mhhhm, go ahead. I'll stay a bit longer." she smiled at him and he thought he saw something in her eyes while she did so, was it mischief?

"You will do no such thing. Come with me now!" Thorin ordered in a stern voice. Alyssa's smile grew. It was just too easy go rile him up and he didn't even notice.

"Or you'll have me beheaded I guess?" she began to walk backwards slowly.

"I might just do that." the faintest smile graced his lips as he came towards her. _So he does know what fun is_ Alyssa thought and then heard a metallic jangle. She must have stepped onto some coins and an idea grew.

" Well, I am having way too much fun, so if you want me gone you'll have to catch me. " she smirked at his confused face and then began running up the pile of gold as fast as she could. And let me tell you it is not easy to walk on gold, let alone run on it, so she tripped quite a few times but she could hear Thorin behind her so she didn't stop running and a few giggles escaped her mouth. Suddenly a hand grasped her wrist and she stumbled and fell. Thorin, who thought he had finally caught her, lost his footing and fell right with her, or rather on top of her. In fear of crushing her with his broad body he braced himself with his arms above her. For a second or two he thought he had actually hurt her but she wasn't making sounds of pain, she was laughing. Wholeheartedly and uncontrollable laughter filled the hall and echoed from the walls. Thorin studied her face and the spark in her eyes and as her laughter slowly died down he quietly spoke:

"You truly are the most odd dwarf I have ever met. " and they just looked in each others eyes for a moment or two.

" Thank Mahal that you did meet me then. Your life must be boring if I am the most odd, you have ever met." she said equally as quite, but her voice was way less deeper than Thorin's so it only sounded like a whisper. Thorin studied her a second longer, searching her face for something only he knew when he suddenly stood up from his position above her. She chuckled lightly and got up as well.

"Well, I think I best be on my way now, before my uncle makes all of Erebor's guards look for me. " she smiled and did a little bow. "My prince." She was already turning to go her way but Thorin gently held her by the shoulder.

"Wait, I don't know your name? "

" Alyssa. "

"Alyssa.." he tested her name and she definitely liked the sound of him saying it. "How will I find you?"

"You won't. " she smiled at him. " I will find you. " And then she left Thorin alone, standing between all of the gold and perplexed by her answer.

 _Perhaps Erebor is not as boring as I thought_ she thought on her way back to the festivities.


End file.
